Author: M. Özgür Nevres

I am a software developer, a former road racing cyclist (at the amateur level), and a science enthusiast. Also an animal lover! I write about cycling on this website, cycling-passion.com. I also take care of stray cats & dogs. Please consider supporting me on Patreon.

You are murderers! Yes, murderers! [The story of the Col du Tourmalet]

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 25, 2014
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The statue of Octave Lapize on Col du Tourmalet Col du Tourmalet - The statue of Octave Lapize gasping for air as he struggles to make the climb. Col du Tourmalet (elevation 2,115 m (6,939 ft)) is the highest paved mountain pass in the French Pyrenees, located in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées. Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie two-thirds of the way up. The village of Barèges lies on the western side, above the town of Luz-Saint-Sauveur. Octave Lapize (24 October 1887 - 14 July 1917) was a French professional road racing cyclist and track cyclist. Most famous for winning the 1910 Tour de France and a bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the men's 100 kilometers,he was a three-time winner of one-day classics, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Brussels. He is noted for looking at some Tour officials on the climb of the Col du Tourmalet in the 1910 Tour de France and yelling, "Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!' (French for 'You are murderers! Yes, murderers!')" Image: CapoVelo.com

Today’s historic photo of the day: the first-ever stage ascent of Col du Tourmalet in Tour de France (1910), Octave Lapize of the Alcyon team walks over the summit and goes on to win the Tour. When he passed the organizer’s car atop the Tourmalet, he screamed “Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!” (French for “You are murderers! Yes, murderers!”)

The courses of the Tour de France in 1907, 1908, and 1909 had been nearly identical. But in 1910, the Pyrenees were included, an initiative from Adolphe Steinès, who had drawn the course for the Tour de France since the first Tour in 1903.

History and Legends Races Tour de France

Ottavio Bottecchia climbing Col du Tourmalet, Tour de France 1924

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 22, 2014
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Today’s historic photo of the day – the legendary Ottavio Bottecchia climbing Col du Tourmalet, stage 6 of the Tour de France 1924.

The previous Tour de France was won by Henri Pélissier. But the Frenchman was clear as to who the rising star was: He had said that the runner-up Ottavio Bottecchia would go on to win the race – “Bottecchia will succeed me.”

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History and Legends Cyclists and Teams Races Tour de France

Jens Voigt borrows a child’s size bike after crashing his own, Tour de France 2010

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 21, 2014
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Jens Voigt borrows a kid's bike during the Tour de France 2010

Today’s historic photo of the day is about one of the most iconic figures of cycling history – Jens Voigt. When he was riding for Saxo Bank team, he participated in the Tour de France 2010 edition as a domestique to his leaders, the Schleck brothers.

After completing his domestique duties on the mountainous stage 16, he crashed heavily on the descent of the Col de Peyresourde, and his bike became destroyed. After getting back up, he realized that all the team cars had passed and that he would not be handed a new bike. Desperate, he borrowed a bike much too small for him, from a children group’s car which was following the race. He rode on it for about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) before reaching a policeman who had another bicycle which had been left for him by his team.

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Giro d'Italia History and Legends Races

Franco Chioccioli on Passo di Gavia, Giro d’Italia 1988

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 20, 2014
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Today’s “historic photo of the day” is: Franco Chioccioli climbing Passo di Gavia, during stage 14 of the Giro d’Italia 1988.

Before the 14th stage of 1988 Giro d’Italia, Del Tongo team’s Italian rider Franco Chioccioli was wearing the maglia rosa. He was leading the race 33 seconds ahead of Urs Zimmermann. The top ten of the general classification was:

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Bicycles and Equipment

De Rosa 888 SUPERKING 2015 Models

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 20, 2014
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De Rosa 888 SUPERKING E 2015 (Black/Neo) - Equipped with Campagnolo Super Record EPS.

The top of the De Rosa road bike range is made complete with a new series of frames: 888 SuperKing. There are three De Rosa 888 SuperKing models: “E”, “R”, and “SR”.

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History and Legends Giro d'Italia Races

Time Trial in Venice, 1978 Giro d’Italia

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 19, 2014
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Today’s historic photo of the day: Roy Schuiten of Scic-Bottecchia team is time trialing at 14th stage of the 1978 Giro d’Italia in Venezia (Venice), near “Canal Grande” – The Grand Canal. May 21, 1978.

The Venice Time-Trial of stage 14 required the construction of a floating bridge over the Grand Canal so that the riders could cross the “Canal Grande” and finish in San Marco Square. The length of the course was 12 km (7 mi).

Bicycles and Equipment

De Rosa R838 2015

De Rosa R838 is the entry-level carbon road bike series of the Italian bicycle manufacturer De Rosa. Here are the 2015 builds of the bike.

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Milan-San Remo Classics History and Legends Races

Eddy Merckx wins 1966 Milan-San Remo (video)

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 18, 2014
3 Comments on Eddy Merckx wins 1966 Milan-San Remo (video)

Eddy Merckx wins Milan-San Remo 1966 (featured) — Eddy Merckx wins Milan-San Remo 1966 - the first of his seven San Remo wins in 11 years.

Today’s historic photo of the day is – the finish of the 1966 Milan-San Remo. A Peugeot-BP-Michelin rider, only 20 years old Eddy Merckx sprints to win his first-ever classics victory. It was the start of Merckx’s run of seven “La Primavera” wins in 11 years.

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Bicycles and Equipment

De Rosa Protos 2015

De Rosa Protos 2015: the Italian bicycle manufacturer De Rosa has revealed its 2015 model Protos bikes.

According to the producer, “Protos is the most ambitious project ever played by the family De Rosa, and ‘the result of two years of work, an important project that he wanted merge everything valuable know how accumulated in nearly 60 years of work, combined with engineering design.'”